Fuel delivery information device



March 29, 1960 w. BECKER 2,930,155

FUEL DELIVERY INFORMATION DEVICE Filed Feb. 10, 1958 Hwozo M 55 (Wave @w/s m/ ,47' opmsys United States Patent F FUEL DELIVERY INFORMATION DEVICE Harold W. Becker, Massapequa, N.Y.

Application February 10, 1958, Serial No. 714,317

1 Claim. (Cl. 402) This invention relates to a device adapted to be attached adjacent the outer capped end of a fuel tank inlet to provide an information bearing surface which will necessarily be seen whenever the cap is removed.

At the present time fuel delivery personnel commit numerous errors such as delivering fuel to an account after the contract with the account has been terminated;

delivering the wrong type of fuel; delivering fuel to an account on a charge when it should only be delivered on a cash basis; etc.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a device which can be readily attached toflthe fuel inlet adjacent the capped outer end thereof which bears information and instructions which will necessarily be seen at the time the delivery man is removing thecap to make the delivery. '21

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which is adapted to substantially eliminate all fuel delivery errors.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide such a device which is inexpensive, and can be left outside exposed to the elements without substantial deterioration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device which can be readily attached to and removed from the fuel inlet without any need for special tools or other equipment.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein embodiments of my invention have been illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of my device positioned adjacent the outer end of one type of fuel inlet;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the outer end of the fuel inlet of Fig. 1; showing the cap, my device and the end of inlet disassembled;

Fig. 3 is a view, partially in cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment of my device;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of my device disassembled from a fuel inlet cap; and- Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of still another embodiment of my device disassembled from a fuel inlet cap.

Referring to the drawings in detail and first to Figs. 1 through 4, 1 designates generally one embodiment of the invention adapted to be attached to one type of fuel inlet. Hereinafter when fuel is used it means liquid fuel for industrial or home use such as fuel oil or kerosene.

The fuel delivery information device 1 is made from thin sheet-like material and is preferably made fromaluminum so that it will withstand the elements. This embodiment has a generally oval shape with a hole 2 adjacent one end 3 thereof. The opposing end 4 of this device provides a surface which can be used to display the customers name and any other information or instructions as desired. The device is installed on the fuel inlet 5, which is connected to the storage tank 6, by positioning the hole 2 in the device 1 in line with the outer end of the fuel inlet and then capping this end with the regular cap 7 which as shown has an externallyv threaded stud 8 extending from the base thereof adapted to mate with the corresponding threads in the outer end of the fuel inlet.

Once this device 1 is thus installed it is so positioned that the delivery man will necessarily see it when he next removes thecap 7 to pump fiirther fuel into the tank 6 for this account. Thus at a time just prior to servicing any account which has a device 1 installed the delivery man will necessarily see the name of the customer and any other information or instructions that relate to that account and can be instructed generally to abide by these instructions before proceeding further'with the delivery.

It should be noted in this embodiment that the end 3 of the device 1 which has the hole 2 therein is shaped substantially in the form of a washer, the opposing end 4 is in the form of a tab which is integrally attached to the outer periphery of the washer and that the tab extending between the points of joinder to the washer is curved throughout. Also, the tab is preferably formed of thin, flexible material. This is important because these devices will often be used on fuel inlet pipes which are standing in yards with people walking by them so that sharp edges which might catch and cut or tear clothing or flesh are to be avoided. It should be realized that a washer similar to one end of this embodiment may be used to accomplish the purposes of this invention without the tab by increasing the annular surface of the washer so that it will extend out from the under edges of the cap to provide an information bearing surface that can be seen prior to removing the cap.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 other types of caps 7 are shown which have indentations 9 in the top surfaces thereof which are adapted to register or mate with tools having corresponding external configurations to rotate the caps during their removal or replacement. The information device 1 in these embodiments is again a thin sheet-like member providing a surface for information and instructions. In each of these embodiments the outer periphery of this device 1 has the same configuration and substantially the same size as the identation 9 in the corresponding cap 7. Thus the information device 1 can be positioned at the base of a corresponding indentation 9 and the information thereon will necessarily 'be seen at the time the delivery man starts to remove the cap to make a fuel delivery.

As indicated once this fuel delivery information device is installed adjacent the outer capped end of a fuel inlet the information thereon is necessarily seen by the delivery man prior to making each delivery. This information is designated to eliminate costly delivery errors. Preferably the tab or information bearing surface of this device is exposed to view prior to removing the cap and may contain as many instructions as desired. It is preferred that the name of the fuel supplier be permanently embossed or otherwise printed on a portion of this surface which is treated by known means to make it relatively harder than the remainder of the surface so that as a basis for eliminating errors the delivery man may be instructed to deliver fuel to customers and only customers that have inlets having one of these devices attached thereto which displays this basic information. Also preferably at least a portion of the information bearing surface is readily deformed or malleable so that less permanent information can be impressed therein such as the date of delivery, the capacity of the tank, the type of fuel desired, the terms of payment, etc. which information can be so impressed by the delivery man as desired by use of any pointed instrument such as a stylus or ballpoint pen.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

A fuel delivery information device adapted to be attached to a fuel tank inlet adjacent the capped outer Patented Mar. 29,1960.

. 3 end thereof comprising a thin washer shaped member having a hole therein substantially the same size and configuration as the outer end of the fuel tank inlet, an information tab integrally attached to the outer periphery of said washer, a portion of said tab being relatively harder than the remaining portion and adapted to have impressed thereon permanent information and the --remaining portion of said tab adapted to have impressed thereon less permanent information. i

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

